NFL Star Adrian Peterson Avoids Jail Over Child Abuse Charge

An NFL player accused of abusing his four-year-old son has avoided a prison sentence after making a plea deal with prosecutors.

Adrian Peterson, a running back for the Minnesota Vikings, pleaded no contest in the agreement.

Although it does not amount to an admission of guilt from the All-Pro, it is treated as such during the sentencing process.

The star had used a wooden rod for corporal punishment earlier this year, leaving his child with cuts and bruises on his back, thighs and one testicle, court documents show.

Peterson has not been allowed to see his son since being charged in September.

After accepting the plea bargain, he said: "I truly regret this incident. I take full responsibility for my actions. I'm just glad this is all over and I can put this behind me."

Adrian Peterson has been on paid leave from the Minnesota Vikings

Peterson's attoey, Rusty Hardin, added: "Adrian wants to get on with his life, have a relationship with his son and get back to playing football."

It remains unclear whether the NFL will allow Peterson to retu to football. The star has been on paid leave since his indictment.

Had the footballer not made a plea deal, his trial would have begun on 1 December. If convicted of child abuse, a felony, he could have been jailed for two years and handed a $10,000 fine.

Instead, Peterson has been ordered to complete parenting classes, 80 hours of community service, and pay a $4,000 fine.

Corporal punishment is legal across the US, and in Texas, where the abuse allegedly took place, belts and brushes are deemed as "accepted disciplinary tools". However, officials deem "instruments of abuse" as electrical cords, boards, ropes, yardsticks, shoes and wires.

The attoey general's office adds that non-deadly corporal punishment against a minor is justifiable if a parent "reasonably believes the force is necessary to discipline the child or to safeguard or promote his welfare".